If a dog loves you, you have the purest love in your life. If you have ever had a dog you know it is impossible to be angry at your 4legs friend even for two seconds - your heart is exploding when you try to be the bad boy and set the boundaries.
Being a true dog lover means that your heart aches for when you see those videos or stories about rescued animals. I'm not gonna lie, but sometimes I just cry when I see how cruel the people are and I'm so thankful for the people who are trying to help those amazing creatures. Sometimes a photo is enough to fall in love, that's what Sophie Gamand does, her photos melt hearts of future owners or friends of puppies.
When I saw her photo series, I knew that her story needed to be told. Please enjoy the interview with Sophie Gamand. Check out her Instagram, Facebook and Twitter account.
And find her site here: www.sophiegamand.com
LifeLightsmag (LLm): Welcome! Your work is truly inspiring and shows something different, somehow the soul of each dog. When did you fall in love with dogs?
Sophie Gamand (SG): I have always been fascinated by animals. When I moved to New York in 2010 though, something deeper was triggered by the way people treat their animals here. I saw all the extremes, from severe abuse to ladies walking their dogs in strollers around the city. I became obsessed with the idea of dogs and our relationship with them, and what it says about our society.
LLm: Most of the people would think working with dogs must be difficult, how you try to calm them if they are too silly, hyperactive or how do you cheer them up if they are extra lazy or melancholic?
SG: I try to let them be who they are, and my job as a photographer is to capture that. When they are a little too crazy, I have to be firm. I don’t find the job particularly difficult, actually. It’s about communication. They need to understand what you want, and they usually comply. That’s the beauty of our relationship. It’s really a partnership and dogs are extremely attentive to humans. Some people use it to do bad, others foster and treasure that trait.
LLm: What is your favourite photo shoot memory from Wet Dog?
SG: Wet Dog is the project that changed my life. I hadn’t planned on shooting it, until it happened in front of my lens. I will be forever grateful for the moment when I decided to shut the inner critic off, and just have fun. I love all the images of the series, but Oscar is probably the one that speaks to me most. It was the first portrait of a wet dog I took, and I thought there was something so poignant about him. It made me reflect on what we inflict upon dogs, even when we have the best intentions, and why dogs stick with us.
LLm: Was photography your first choice of a career?
SG: No, being an artist kind of was, but I never knew how to achieve it. I studied Law, worked in an NGO, studied opera singing, created a photo magazine, then finally got back to photography myself. It’s only when Wet Dog took off online that my career got kick-started and, I guess, I became a « photographer ». What’s important to me is to create, projects, images, stories, awareness.
LLm: Among your works , which one is your favourite? Why?
SG: That’s an impossible question! I guess my favorite work is always the future project, because the excitement of something new is great. But I really treasure all my work. Flower Power is my other very popular project, and it’s been such an incredible journey being able to share my art and save lives at the same time, while bringing awareness to very important issues.
LLm: What is your message, what do you want to say with your photographs?
SG: I think compassion is at the heart of my work. I want people to feel like there is good in this world, that if we allow ourselves to feel compassionate, even for the least likely situations (like, for pit bulls for example, who have such a bad reputation), then we can change ourselves and the world. Compassion is the key, not just with animals but also amongst people. It’s a powerful feeling.
Thank you Sophie for the interview!
*All photo rights are reserved to Sophie Gamand.*
